Sara Hohn – Food… Brooklyn & Beyond

There are two ways to smoke a fish. Cold smoking (no heat applied) involves brining the fish and keeping it at a cold temperature for many hours, resulting in a silky-textured product that is usually sold in slices. Lox is an example of cold-smoked salmon. You can cold-smoke all kinds of things from fish to game as well as cheese. The other method, hot smoking, also takes many hours but with temperatures reaching as high as 185 degrees. Typically using wood smoke, the process yields a flaky fish texture, more similar to that of a standard cooked fish. The ideal hot smoked fish balances salt, smoke and herbs with the concentrated flavor of the fish. For centuries, Northern Europeans have smoked fish to preserve for use in winter. However, there is a long tradition of fish smoking in Brooklyn.

Family-owned and operated, Greenpoint’s Acme Smoked Fish is one of the largest processors of smoked fish and herring in the United States. After some scouting, I managed to find some of Acme’s Baked Salmon Salad, which is a delicious spread made with Acme’s hot smoked salmon. (I assembled canapes with cucumber, Acme Salmon Salad and pumpernickel toasts that were, I must say, great). I plan to check out more of their products including their Gravlax (marinated in dill), Irish Smoked Salmon, Peppered Bluefish, and while I’m at it, some Chopped Herring Salad. (Who’s making friends!?!)

Acme products are available at Stinky. Or, you can visit the Acme Smokehouse Outlet “Fish Fridays” where the public can purchase directly from Acme on Fridays from 8 am to 1 pm.

Acme Smoked Fish
30-56 Gem Street

Originally published on Until Monday: Brooklyn